Getting a Sat. night babysitter

When did you ladies get one?

My DD is 5 1/2 months old. She is in daycare from 9-5:30 during the week, but I am just not ready to get a Sat. night babysitter. I don't know why.

Before the baby we came, we went out every Sat. night. Even when I was 8 months pregnant we went out often. But now, we don't. Either DH goes out alone with his single friends or we stay in.

I have a friend who has no kids and invited me to an "adult only" dinner party. I told her I couldn't go since my mom is in Florida and my sister has a steady Sat. night sitter to watch my 15 month old neice. We can't share a sitter b/c my sister lives in a studio in the city and her daughter has sleep issues.

She keeps pressuring me and I feel bad enough. Since the baby came, I have only been "out" without her twice (not counting the random dinner with DH). I'm just not ready yet.

Anyone else going through this?

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

we haven't even gone out to dinner once since DD was born, she is 6.5 months old! My mom said she will come and watch her after I put her to bed but we are just too tired...and I don't think I would ask anyone else to come over yet.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

Can you ask one of the girls from the daycare center-

At least you know they are cert. and properly trained...

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

We sometimes get the teachers from our daycare. Lately I've been switching off with my girlfriend. I'll take her daughter one week, the next week she takes my kids.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

I could ask a woman from her daycare. There is one woman I really like there, but I am concerned about a few things:

How do I ask her? I am never alone with her to be able to ask her and not the others.

If she is too expensive, how do I handle that?

Do I want to jeapordize the professional relationship we already have?

Do I really want her seeing my tiny little apartment

Message edited 9/26/2006 2:37:19 PM.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

You can start off by handing her a business card or card with your phone number & saying "I'm not sure if you (or anyone you know) would be interested, but I'm always looking for babysitters." or if you don't want to say that - write it down.

When she calls, ask her how much she charges.

Everyone's apartment is small in Manhattan - don't worry about it.

You won't jeopardize the relationship you have with her but the daycare may feel threatened that you'll try to hire her away.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

If you dont' want her to come up with the amount, you can say "I'm willing to pay x dollars" instead of asking her.

x = the amount your sister pays.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

Thanks!! I don't know why I am so nervous. I am just not ready yet.
A part of it is guilt (work all day AND i want to go out too). A part of it is that I just don't want to leave her. It's so hard. I love her so much!! Its just hard to balance working and being a mom and beign a wife and being myself. Usually I am OK, but with DH goign out more with his single friends (I only have 1 single friend and she doesn't go out much), and now my friend pressuring me today, its getting to me.

I think I will have my mom babysit a few Sat. nights and then move on to paying someone.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

I havent had a babysitter yet because I dont want to pay for whatever we are doing..i.e movies dinner, etc and then on top of that pay a sitter. I also work full-time so I usually want to spend the weekends with her. DH and I have been taking her with us to restaurants since she was a few weeks old and knock on wood she is usually very good so it hasnt been an issue yet.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

So far the only person that actually babysat was my mom. I am no where near ready to hire a babysitter and babysitting for Luka is really just watching TV because he goes to be bed around 6/6:30 but I am always worried that he might get up (even though he hasn't in a really long time). We have been out a total of 4 times in 5.5 months and I went out with a friend of mine but DH was home. It is definitly hard to balance being a mom and then find that person who were before that (I am still having a hard time). I really dont know if this is an option but, what if you had your friends over for some drinks after Jordana went to sleep?

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

we went out for the first time two weeks ago when DD was 6 weeks old- just down the street to a neighbor's house for wine for a couple of hours & grandma babysat. this weekend we will go out to dinner & a movie for the first time while the other grandma babysits.

we have a housekeeper come once every two weeks to clean the house & she watches DD as well while i go food shopping & run errands. we will use her eventually for saturday evenings. not quite ready for that yet though.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

It was 9 months before we went out on the weekends and my mom was our babysitter.

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

We haven't hired a sitter yet either and DD is 4 mos

Re: Getting a Sat. night babysitter

When she was around 3 weeks old we started to go out on weekends. I needed it for my sanity.